Short answer: the Marshall Willen II for better sound quality, the JBL Go 3 for the lower price. The Marshall Willen II ranks #11 of 47 small speakers at $89.99. The JBL Go 3 ranks #26 at $39.95, $50.04 cheaper.
On the Marshall Willen II side: More balanced than the first Willen, no sharp treble. Set against that: Not that deep of bass. Fairly low max output vs pricier speakers; midrange can sound a bit congested at volume.
What the JBL Go 3 offers: Genuinely pocket-sized at 209g. IP67 rated, survives full submersion in a meter of water for 30 minutes. The tradeoff: Not much bass at all, strange mids peak.
Buy the Marshall Willen II if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the JBL Go 3 if the price matters more than sound quality.
If battery life is a priority, the Marshall Willen II is rated for 17 hours versus 5 hours for the JBL Go 3.
Specifications Side By Side
| Marshall Willen II | JBL Go 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $89.99 | $39.95 |
| Ranked | #11 of 47 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #26 of 47 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 70Hz | 87Hz |
| Battery Life | 17 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 5 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | Pointing up |
| TWS | No | No |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs / 360 g | 0.5 lbs / 209 g |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| Frequency Response | 75Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 110Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Charging Time | 2.5 hours | 2.5 hours |
| Drivers | 2" (51mm) full-range with dual passive radiators | 36mm full-range driver |
| Dimensions | 3.9" x 1.7" x 3.9" (99 x 43 x 99 mm) | 3.4" x 2.7" x 1.6" (86 x 69 x 40 mm) |
| Output Power | 10W | 4.2W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Max Volume | - | 88dB |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs JBL Go 4
- JBL Go 4 vs Harman Kardon Neo
- Soundcore Boom Go 3i vs Ultimate Ears Miniroll
- Marshall Willen II vs JBL Go 4
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs JBL Go 3
The Two Speakers In Full
Marshall Willen II: $89.99 Amazon
Pros: More balanced than the first Willen, no sharp treble
Cons: Not that deep of bass. Fairly low max output vs pricier speakers; midrange can sound a bit congested at volume. No aux input.
Full Marshall Willen II review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 70Hz |
| Battery Life | 17 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Charging Time | 2.5 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.9" x 1.7" x 3.9" (99 x 43 x 99 mm) |
| Drivers | 2" (51mm) full-range with dual passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 75Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Output Power | 10W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs / 360 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Marshall Willen II vs Vifa City
- Marshall Willen II vs Ultimate Ears Miniroll
- Marshall Willen II vs Soundcore Mini 3
- Marshall Willen II vs Anker Soundcore Mini
- Marshall Willen II vs Soundcore Mini 3 Pro
- Marshall Willen II vs Marshall Willen
- Marshall Willen II vs Klipsch Austin
- Marshall Willen II vs Teufel Boomster Go
- See all 21 comparisons
JBL Go 3: $39.95 Amazon
Pros: Genuinely pocket-sized at 209g. IP67 rated, survives full submersion in a meter of water for 30 minutes. Rope loop for clipping to a bag.
Cons: Not much bass at all, strange mids peak.
Full JBL Go 3 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 87Hz |
| Battery Life | 5 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Charging Time | 2.5 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.4" x 2.7" x 1.6" (86 x 69 x 40 mm) |
| Drivers | 36mm full-range driver |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 110Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 88dB |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Output Power | 4.2W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs / 209 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL GO 3 Review - vs Tribit Stormbox Micro - best small cheap speaker?
- DLX Willington: Jbl Go 3 vs Sony XB12 Sound Battle With Sound Sample
- Stereo Specs: JBL GO 4 vs JBL GO 3 : Is there more bass or not?Unboxing,Features,Specs,Sound Test & Comparison !
- StereoSpecs: JBL GO 4 vs JBL GO 3 : Worth the upgrade?
- Techder Audios: JBL GO 3 VS XIAOMI PORTABLE OUTDOOR SPEAKER “BEST COMPACT SPEAKERS!?”
- Techder Audios: HOPESTAR H54 VS JBL GO 3 “SIMILAR DESIGN BUT SOUND IS DIFFERENT?!’’
- Alan Ross Reviews: Harman Kardon Neo vs JBL GO 3 - best bluetooth micro speaker❗❗❗
- Techder Audios: JBL GO 3 VS ORTIZAN X10
- Reddit Search for JBL Go 3 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons